August 8, 2025

Hi neighbour,

We hope this message finds you well. Thank you for your interest in our community garden. We are writing to share more specific information and a summary of the feedback we have received so far. 

Who Are We: The Allard Community League 

Allard Community League, established in 2023, is one of 163 community leagues in Edmonton. We are a group of your neighbours who are elected to a volunteer board to help provide community connections and recreation programming in the area. We are not the HOA, and our membership in the community league is voluntary.  Some examples of how we support the neighbourhood include the operation and maintenance of the Allard outdoor rink, community events like Winter Fun Day, and programs like basketball, soccer, ball hockey, the pop-up garden, and Greenshack.  

We have an agreement with the City and Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues that allows us to maintain the rink on site as well as the ability to develop and operate other recreation amenities at 680 Allard Blvd.

Allard Community League Garden Committee:

Through surveys we conducted as an emerging league in 2023 and post-incorporation in 2024, it is clear that our membership and the community desire access to a community garden.

The Community League was successful in operating a “Pop-up Garden” in 2024 with the City of Edmonton. This was a temporary garden program that the City coordinated with community volunteers. Unfortunately, this program was terminated in 2025. This helped to spark the desire to create a more stable and permanent option for gardening in our community. Our inspiration for a community garden includes the Royal Gardens, Twin Brooks, and Blue Quill Community Gardens. 

We are following the City of Edmonton Community Led Construction process and are a formal subcommittee of the Allard Community League.  

Why the Garden Matters
The goal of the community garden is to bring neighbours together to foster connection, sustainability, and wellness. It will provide:

• A space for residents to grow fresh, healthy produce.

• Educational opportunities for children and families.

• A platform for community-building events and volunteerism.

• A greener, healthier, more vibrant neighbourhood environment.

• An inclusive space for everyone.

Garden Location
The garden site (outlined in red) is located entirely on parkland within the Allard Community League boundary. It maintains a generous setback distance from nearby homes to ensure privacy.

What We’ve Heard:

In 2023, during the formation of the community league, the top two future amenities residents were interested in were a Community Hall and a Community Garden. 

In 2024, the pop-up garden in Allard had 20 temporary garden beds. There was demand for 36, but the program could not accommodate the request at the time. Clearly, there was demand for a permanent solution. We started to look into the locations for a permanent Garden. A survey was conducted from August 28, 2024, to February 28, 2025. In this survey, residents helped narrow down the top locations for a permanent garden. 

In Spring 2025, after selecting a preferred location, we started engaging with homeowners by door-knocking, posting a poster at the parkland location, and promoting our website.  Specifically, we heard support for the garden from some residents. We also listened to some concerns, which include: Privacy, Pest Control, Security/Traffic, and Reduced Opportunities for recreation.  We appreciate these concerns and will be considering them moving forward. We hope to help address them through our Design, Policies and Rules, and Community Education. This is just the start of our ongoing plan to reach out and communicate with residents, the school, and other park users. 

Let’s Stay Connected

We’re committed to being good neighbours and would love to hear your thoughts. If you have further questions, ideas, or would like to be involved in shaping the garden’s future, we welcome your participation. Please feel free to reach out to us at info@allardcommunityleague.ca or join us at our next garden committee meeting on August 20, 2025.

If you haven’t already, consider becoming an Allard Community League member.  You’ll receive all the benefits of membership and regular updates on things going on in the community.

Thank you for your continued support and for helping us cultivate not just a garden, but a stronger, more connected community.

Warm regards,

Garden Committee

Allard Community League

info@allardcommunityleague.ca

June 4, 2025

Hello Neighbour,

We are exploring the possibility of establishing a community garden in the green space beside the Allard ice rink (please find attached map). Before moving forward, we would like to consult with nearby residents to gather any feedback, concerns, or suggestions.

The vision is to create a shared space for growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, and building community connections. The garden would be maintained by volunteers. Some potential benefits of the garden include:

• Promoting healthy lifestyles and access to fresh produce

• Encouraging environmental stewardship and urban biodiversity

• Providing educational opportunities for local schools

• Creating a welcoming and inclusive space for residents of all ages

The proposed garden site was selected based on the reasons summarized below:

• Access to water

• Access to City of Edmonton funding

• Relatively flat topography and conducive to gardening

If you have any questions, concerns, or input regarding this initiative, please let us know by June 23, 2025.

All feedback can be emailed to: Info@allardcommunityleague.ca. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

 Allard Community League Garden Committee